Cry for Help: Suicide Awareness and Prevention

by Jill Hubble, MSEd, LADC, guest blogger for Dr. Hal Pickett

Many teachers, parents and other concerned adults wonder about the dangers of adolescent “suicidal ideation” -- or how serious it is when youth openly discuss or idealize suicide as a way out. Some wonder if talking about it is merely the child’s way of trying to get attention or of being manipulative.

The simple truth? When someone tells you that they don’t want to live anymore it should be taken as a serious cry for help, every time. Not wanting to go on tells us that the individual is in so much emotional pain that they do not see any other way to escape it.

If you find yourself in a discussion with a teenager (or anyone) and they talk about wanting to end their life you can do a simple assessment. First, try for some clarification: is the person just frustrated and speaking off the cuff or are they really wishing they didn’t have to deal with life any more? Second, ask them if they have a plan. If they do, try to get them to tell you the plan and then alert loved ones and caregivers immediately. Remove all means that could aid the individual in committing suicide from their reach—if possible, from their home—including medications, sharp objects and firearms.

Once a person verbalizes a plan to end their life take him/her to your nearest emergency room for an evaluation. If the person has immediate access, or you feel they are in imminent danger, call 911 and alert the operator that you’re calling because the person is having a “mental health crisis.” The dispatcher will then send a police officer trained in de-escalation if one is available.

Below are verbal and action warning signs that may indicate an individual is in danger. In many cases, family and friends of suicide victims did not see any of these signs -- there isn’t always a cry for help. Because of this it is important to take note of even a single significant red flag, including a gut feeling.

Top warning signs:

1. Saying “It just isn’t worth it anymore”
2. Saying “No one will miss me when I’m gone”
3. Saying “I’m sick and tired of being tired”
4. Saying “Goodbye” instead of “Goodnight”
5. Giving away personal belongings
6. Displaying helplessness and/or hopelessness (“Nothing will ever be right again so what’s the point in going on?”)

Other important facts about suicide:

• 90% of individuals who attempt/commit suicide have a diagnosable mental health issue or substance abuse problem.
• Almost four times as many males as females die by suicide.
• Almost twice as many women as men attempt suicide, but males use more lethal means such as firearms, while women often turn to pills.
• Some severely depressed people will take an entire bottle of ibuprofen or acetaminophen thinking it will help stop their emotional pain. According to the Mayo Clinic, this can lead to overdose, which causes organ failure – kidneys in the case of ibuprofen; liver in the case of acetaminophen. Many die waiting for a transplant, but because organ failure after overdose may not be recorded as death by suicide, statistics on suicide may be slightly lower then actual numbers.
  
  

Jill Hubble is a Headway Emotional Health Services school-based therapist in South Saint Paul. Please remember that if you or a loved one is showing signs of depression, anxiety, or poor adjustment to life-events a qualified therapist may be able to help. Contact Headway for more information or to get help. www.headway.org.